Heel-seat fitting machine



y 8, 1936. E. A. BEssoM I 71.

v HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1954 2 Shegets-Shet 1 m G 72 .I I /i 68 92%- I E5] I501 50 J 0 78- 1 3 I: 76 i i 35152 3+ 40 5 1 8 J 4 g ti we;

g 10/ 50 WVE/VTUH.

M Mam July 28, 1936. E. A. BESSOM 2,048,671

HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1954 2 sheets-sh et 2 Patented July 28, 1936 V HEEL-SEAT FITTING MACHINE Earl A. Bessom, Marblehead, Mass, assignor to '7 United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson; N; J.,'a corporation of New Jersey Application May 25, 1934, Serial No. 727,511

18 ClainiSJ (Cl. '12-31.5)

This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes and is illustrated as embodied in a heelseat fitting machine.

In preparing shoes for the reception of wood heels it is customary to trim material from the margin of the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to a shoe thereby to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole, and to form upon the sole a pair of heel-breast receiving shoulders which extends transversely of the sole from the forward lateral portions of the reduced heel-seat portion. In order to provide a solid foundation for the heel the reduced heel-seat portion of the sole should be substantially complemental to the attaching face of the heel to be attached to the shoe, sufficient material being removed from the sole to insure that the rim of the attaching face of the heel shall snugly engage the overlasted counter portion of the shoe upper. Moreover, the heelbreast receiving shoulders should snugly engage the breast of the heel positionedupon the shoe.

In one type of machine used in preparing soles for the reception of wood heels the heel-seat portion of the sole either before or after the formation of heel-breast receiving shoulders, is distorted and is reduced by a drag knife while so distorted.

In order to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole of a shoe by the use of a machine of the type above described to a shape complemental to the attaching face of a heel to be attached to the shoe it is desirable that the distorted heel-seat portion of the'sole shall be clamped and that the heel-seat reducing knife shall out the distorted and clamped heel-seat portion of the sole without substantially displacing the same. If the clamped and distorted heel-seat portion of the sole is not held securely the shoulderforinin'g knives and the heel-seat reducing knives; especially when dull, displace the heel-seat portion of the sole as they trim the'same with the result that the heel-seat portion is not trimmed to the proper shape. It will thus be clear that the above-mentioned trimming cuts must be accurately con trolled during the heel-seat fitting operation in order to reduce the heel seats to the desired uniform shape. I I

With the above-mentioned circumstances in view and in accordance with a feature ofthis invention the illustrated machine is provided with a plate which has a U-shaped opening and is constructed and arranged ,to support the heel seat portion of a sole, amember for forcing the margin of the heel-seat portion of the sole'against the plate, and a bulger which isconstructed and arranged to force the central part of the heel-seat portion of the sole through the opening and which comprises a working face terminating in a U-shaped edge and an elongated rib the sole-j a the rib being straightened out and tensioned as they envelope the working faceof the bulger. As the sole-engaging face of the rib arrives in the plane of the bottom face of the plate along which the cutting edge of aheel-seatreducing knife slides, the u-shaped edge of the bulger which is similar to but somewhatsmaHer. than the :U- shaped opening, forces the tensioned sole against the edge of. the opening. With the above con- 20 struction the heel-seat portion of the sole is ef-: fectively tensioned as it is distorted. in the 'machine, the tendency. of the heel-seat reducing knife to pull portions 'of'the sole to; be trimmed away from the bulger being practically eliminated by providing the bulger with a recess which is positioned between the rib and the U-shaped edge of the bulger. 5:.

In order further to insure that the forward end of the heel-seat portion of the sole shall be properly tensioned widthwise'against the pres sure of the heel-seat reducing and the shoulderforming knives and in accordance with another feature of this inventionthe member of the illustrated machine which forces the margin ofthe heel-seat portion of the sole against the solesupporting plate comprises a pairof parts which move laterally. of'the sole upon the plate as they are forced against the sole. These and other'features of the invention ineluding certain details of construction and com binations of parts will be described as embodied in an illustrated machine and pointed out in the appended claims;

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the operating head of the illustrated machine inth'e process of fitting an attached sole of a shoe for the reception of a heel; a

Fig. 2'is a side view of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 the'greater part of which is shown in Fig. 5 shows in perspective'fa portion 01:60.

'mechanism foriclamping the margin of the heelseat portion of the sole against the plate;

a of wood heels, As above stated itis customary] f r Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the bulger which forces the central part of the heel-seat portion of the sole clamped to the plate through a U-. shaped Opening formed in the plate; and- Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the rear end ofthe sole of aninverted shoe after it has 'been operated upon in the above machine.

'erence to trimming the heel-seat" portions of soles attached to shoe uppers forthereception to trim the margin of the heel-seat portion of a sole attached to a shoe upper 22 by a beveling cut andibyiavatransverse cut or cuts in order .to

reducethe' heel. seat (aszshown at.24 in Fig. '7)

thereby prolviding a'beveled margin, 26 and a pair 'of heck-breast receiving shoulders 28'at the for- ?ward'end'iof the heel seat. The central part 30 of. the reduced heel seat is substantially flat and maybe referred to as the plateau portion, the

sole-engaging face of the reduced heel seat 24 being substantially complemental to the attaching :face of: the heel which is to be secured to'the shoe. The edge 320i the reduced heel seat 24 should extendialmost to the rim of the attach-'- ing facel of thejheel'in orderto insure, that the margin of theattaching faceof the heel shall Qbewell supportedibyfthe'sole and shall receive the 'nails which attach the heel to the shoe. It

is, desirable, however, that an amount of stock j sufficient toinsure'that the rim of the attachy jAs above stated, in one type of heel-seat fitting meme of the heel's hall snugly engage the counter portion of the shoe upper shall be removedzfrom the'heel-seat portion of the sole.

machine the heel-seat portion of the sole is re- "Iduc'ed by one or 'morefknives while it is, held in a distorted condition; A machine of this general type is disclosed in'United States Letters. Patent No. }1,980',3 7lj granted November 13, 1934 on an application filed in my name, in which machine construction illustrated herein may be-readily incorporated in place ofjdetachable portions of the machine.

Accordingly, only portions of the 1 niachinejbelieved to be essential in illustrating .this invention are describe'd herein since a-complete understanding of thefconstruction and operation-of the machine as a whole may be obvtained by' reference tof the UnitedfStatesLetters Patent. i a 7 The sole of the shoe is supported upon a crease plate 34 provided with a U-shaped opening 36 above-mentioned (Fig. 4) defined by athin edge as which is formed by abeveled face 40 "and a planariunderside of the plate 34. The frame 42 (Fig.1) of the machine is slotted in order interchangeably to r'e- 'ceive' one of a plurality of plates-34 'having U- shaped openings 36 of different sizes, the plates being held in position in the" machine through the provision of a spring-pressed pin 44. The solekmay be positioned lengthwise and laterally V 7 upon the plate by'a back gage 46 and a V.-shaped agej48';"respectively; against i which therear counterjportion-of the shoeiisforced. Theback "gage 46 and the V-shaped gage 4 8 are normally forced forwardly of a stop 50 under spring pressure; the stop being set in predetermined position in accordance with the size. of the heel to attached. to the ,shoelas disclosed at length in said U nited States Letters .Patent'No. .1,980,371. V @In order to pressthe margin of the heel-seat portionof the sole against: the beveled face:40-

of the plate 34 preparatory to distorting the The illustrated machine is described with ref-.

The bulger 52' is provided with a shaped and arranged to receive-a; stud I08 projecting downwardly from a fiange portion: II0V (Fig. 2) of'a,bul ereoperatingrodfll I2; which is same by abulg'er 52, the illustrated machine is provided with a U-shaped presser member which includes a bight portion '56,; a pair ofvarm por-Q tions 58, andaspreader 60.. For convenience of description the bight portion 56 an'dthe arm por-.

. tions 58. will be referred to as a back clamp 51.

The bight and the arm portions 56 and 58 of. the back clamp 51 are provided with 'inserts 62, 64 which may bemade of rubber or of other-suitable yielding material. The bight portion 56 is movable relatively to the arm, portions 58 during the sole-clamping operation as will later be explained in order that the margin of the heel seat which usually varies in thickness may be' efiectively clampedagainst the plate 34,

The inserts 64 ofithe arms 58 are included within metal walls 66 formed integralw'ith'aslide tion within opposed grooves I0 (Fig.' 1) of a housing". :Theinsert' 62 of the bight portion 55:?of;;theba,ck clamp 51 is also included within metal retaining walls 14 which are :pivotally mountedupon a pir1 ,16 supported in lugs. 1810f theslide 68. s

Secured by screws (Fig. 1) to the forward end of theQhousing I2- is a rectangular frame 82 provided with a guideway 84 in whichia bifur-.'

' cated' block 8.6 is mounted'for yerticalmovement the block being bored tdreeeive a strong spring 7 fwhich normally retains the block 86 at the bottomof the guideway 84.

i 7 The spreader 60 "is pivotally mounted upon a bearing 92 which is'in threaded'relation with the block 8 6, presser feet 68 which is constructed and arranged for recep- IOI of the spreader 60 being normally urged toward each other by a spring 94"the opposite ends of ;which :are secured to :pins .96 mounted upon extensions and I00 of'the spreader 60, V

respectively. In order to limit, the movement of the presser-feet IOI, ofthe spreader 60' toward each other the. extension 98 carries an adjustable der tension of the spring 94, engages the exten-;

sion I005 The sole-engaging faces I04 of the presser feet;I.0I,are serrated :for gripping the sole firmlyp,'I'he sole-engagingfaces I04 of the spreader 60 maybearrangedto lie in substantially the same plane as the sole-engaging faces of the arm portions :58 or mayrextend slightly below-the samefin order to lead the; armportions during the sole-clamping operation. I

recess I06 4'0- screw I02 w ch, Whenthe housing 'IZis raised f and the presser feet IOI are moved together unmounted for sliding movement'along a cylindrical v recess of an extensionI I4 of thehousing I2. 1 The extension I I4 of the housing 'I2'is positioned for Y reciprocation withinla bore of abossfportion II6 of the frame ,of the machine. The bulger 52 is reciprocatedin avertical path by a. collar; II 8 which is operated by mechanism clearly disclosed in the above-mentioned United States Letters Patent No.;1,980,371. 'I'he h ousing 'I2-is normally forced into v engagement with the flange portion I I0 of the bulger -operating rod I I2 lby'a' spring I20 which surrounds the rod I IZ and is enclosed within a-cylindricalhousingI22 secured todthe rod. The first part of the downward-movement positionedlupon the plate, further downward of the red I I2'causesthespring I20 which engages 7o the upper endlof theextensionv I I4 of the housing .12 to. force the U-shapedbpresser unit "against 'themarg'inof the heel-'seat'portion of the sole movement of the rod causing the springs I20 to 753 be compressed by the cylindrical'housing I22 and thus causing the bulger 52 to be forced through the lJ-shap'ed opening of the plate 34. A face I24 (Fig. 6) of the bulger 52 is positioned about a quarter of an inch above the lower soleengaging face of the rubber inserts, 62, 64 of the back clamp 57 when the machine is at rest with the flange portion III! in engagement with the housing 12. v

The back clamp 51 is mounted for rocking movement as a unit. This is effected by flaring the opposed grooves I8 rearwardly of the housing from their forward ends, the plate being normally forced into engagement with the lower sides of the grooves 18 by a spring-pressed plunger I28 (Fig. 2) which engages the rear upper portion of the slide 68. The bight portion of the back clamp 51 is normally forced beyond the arm portion 58 by a pair of springs I38. Pivotal movement of the bight portion 56 away from the slide 68 is limited by pins I32 carried by the 'respective arm portions 58 and operating in elongated slots I34 of the bight portion 56.

Opposing portions of the forward faces of the recess I06 (Fig. 2) and the stud I08, respectively, are flattened in order to insure that the 'bulger shall not turn upon the stud I88. The bulger 52 is retained upon the stud I08 by a spring-pressed plunger I35 which normally engages within a concavity in the front face of the stud I88.'

In View of the foregoing it will be clear that as the rod H2 is lowered it causes the housing 12 yieldingly to force the U-shaped presser unit against the margin of the heel-seat portion of the sole upon'the plate 34. As the back clamp 51 engages the sole the rear end-of the slide 68 rocks upwardly and the bight portion '56 alsoswings relatively to the arm portions-58 about the pin I6 thereby insuring that substantially the entire margin of a sole of non-uniform thickness is' securely pressed against the beveled face 48 of the plate 34. Moreover, since the sole-engaging portions 82, 84 (Fig. 5) of the bight and the arm portions 56 and 58, respectively, are con structed of rubber such portions conform toa considerable extent to the shape of the sole being clamped in the machine.

It is desirable, especially when knives I38 (Fig. 2) which form the heel-breast receiving" shoulders 28 (Fig. 7) move at right angles to the general plane of the sole, that the forwardpart of the heel-seat portion of the sole be stretched under considerable tension in order to avoid dis placing the sole during the shoulder-forming op"- eration. By providing the spreader 68 the serrated faces IIl4 of which move apart as they are forced against the'sole,'the forward end of the heel-seat portion of the sole is securely held in place as the knives I38 form the heel-breast receiving shoulders 28 and also as a knife I48 moves forwardly of the sole in engagement with the under side of the plate 34 to reduce .the heelseat portion of the sole. 1

The plate 34 is provided with forward planar surfaces I42 which serve as effective beds along which the sole slides as the serrated faces I84 of the spreader 68 tension the sole laterally.

After the sole has been clamped in the machine the shoulder-forming knives I38, which are movable with the bulger 52, are lowered to form the heel-breast receiving shoulders 28;. The shoulderforming knives.l38 are'given ;a:slight lead over the bulger 52 in order to insure that the shoulders 28 are formed before the heel-seat portion of the sole is distorted substantially.-. The'fsple is therefore practically undistorted forwardly of the heel-breast line I44 (Fig. 7) of the shoe during the heel-seat fitting operation.

of the type above mentioned the displacement of the heel-seat portion of the clamped sole by the shoulder-forming knives I38 and the heel-seat reducing knife I48 should be reduced to aminimum. It frequently happens that the shoulderforming knives I38, especially when dull, force the central part of the sole in the vicinity of .its breast line I44 a'considerable distance below the crease plate 34. When this happens the .heelseat'reducing knife I40 in moving along the lower face of the plate M'reducesthe heel seat in such a way that its plateau portion 38 increases in Width as it approaches the heel-breast line I44 and'is so. .wide that it prevents the forward end of the rim of the attaching face of the heel from engaging the overlasted counter portion of the shoe upper. This difliculty has been largely overcome by providing the above spreader which tensions'the forward end of the heel-seat portion of the sole laterally. The outline to which the heel seat is reduced'is determined by'the shape of the thin edge 38 and it is therefore desirable that the heel-seat portion of the sole be effectively tensioned and forced against the edge 38 preparae tory to trimming the sole. Moreover. the beveled margins 26 should be of considerable width in order that the reduced heel seat shall be of 'a shape which is practically complementalto that of the attaching face of the heel. Thesize of the plateauportion 30 of the sole is determined i by the length of the beveled margin 26. It is desirable that the outline of the reduced heel seat 24 and the length' of the beveled margin 25 be varied in accordance with the heel to be attached to the shoe and with this in view it is customary to change the crease plate 34 and the back clamp 5! from time to time. It has; been found by ex perience that three complete sets ofparts are suificient. a

In order to insure that of the, sole held against the plate by the U- shaped presser unit is properly 'tensioned andis forced with considerable pressure against the edge 38 of the U-shaped opening 3.6,-the'working side of the bulger 52 comprises a planarface 1 I46 (Fig. 6) which terminates in a U-shapededge I48, and a rib wflprovided with a U-shaped the heel-seat portion edge I52 which is spaced fromthe edge I48, the

rib projecting beyondthe planar face I46. The

sole-engaging face I24 of the rib I50 corresponds r substantially to the shape of the plateau portion 38 of the reduced heel seat to be formed. A re? entrant angle or recess I54 is thus included bea tween the edge I52 and the edge "I48-I01 the bulger, the sole bridging the recessduring the heel-seat fitting operation. The sole engaging face I24 and the U-shapededge I48 of the bulger 52 may be said to be spaced from each other by I stepped. The U-shaped sole-engaging edges I48 and I52 of the rib- I58 and the face I46, respectively, are arranged in substantially similar relation and lie'in parallel planes.

:w'When the bulger 52 is loweredv the sole is engaged by the rib I58, the heel-seat portion ofthe 'sole which is held against .the.plate .34by the "heel-seat portion ofv the sole.

clamp n bein tensionedr The ,U'es aned; 6186 I40 atthis time is out of contact'with the sole-engaging face I24iof the rib I50 is lowered into substantial alinement with the :lower face 7 of the plate 34 the u-shaped edge I40 engages the tensioned heel-seat portion of the sole and iof causes the same to be forced with considerable pressureagainstrthe vedge38 As above stated, in order'tocontrol the shape to which the heel seat is cut it'is not only. desirable tochold the tionable for reasons above explained. When the heel-seat. portion of the. sole under tension but it is also desirable to reduce as. much as possible thetendency of the heel-seat portion of the sole 1 to resist the cutting pressure of the heel-seat reducing' knife I40. "It has 'beenfo'und by experience that as the knifel40 (Fig. 3) engages i the rear end of the distorted sole there is atend ency for the knife to bunch the leather ahead of it and to pull the sole away from' the bulger 52. Such a tendency makes'it difficult: to locate 'withany degree of accuracy the rear end of the i the United States plateau portion 30 where the knife initially cuts through the sole and usually causes the plateau 'portion 30 to be wider than desirable and to flare toward its forward end,this being objec heel-seat portion of the sole being cut'cis once pulled away from the bulger 52lth'e greater be comes the tendency for the knife to pull the sole further away from the bulger 52..and' forfthis reason it is especially desirable to prevent the *fknife'lfrom' initially displacing'the sole. In the l illustrated construction the knife'I40 in starting the heel-seat reducing cut' moves forwardly along. the path I56 {Fig 3) the sole being flexed toward thebulger 52 and entering the recess portion I54 under the operating pressure o-f'the, knife. With such a construction the, displacement of the heel-seat portion of the knife I40 is reduced to a minimum, the knife passing along 7 ,the surface I24 and cooperatingfwiththe rear fcportion of theedge I52 tojtrim the soleby a shearingcut. As the knife I40 progresses for wardly of the sole the heel-seat reducing cut extends from the edge I52 to the edge 38 of the plate -34-. By. providing the recess I54 it has been found'that even though the knife 140 is slightly "flu llthe heel-seat reducing cut follows around the edge I52 of the'rib I50 and therefore forms a widebevelwhich'corresponds to the distance from the edge I52 to the iu ihaped'edge 300f 7 the opening; With, such a construction it is possible by properly shaping. the working side of the bulger and the shape of the U-s'haped opening 36 accurately'to control the shape ,of

the'reduced heel-seat to be formed. The bulger ,52 maybe advantageously used with various types ofc pre'sser members which effectively clamp the margin of the heel-seatportion ofthe sole "against the crease plate;

c The shoulder-forming and the heel-seat reducingknives I38, I40, respectively, may be operated' 'bymechanism such as described in the above-mentioned ,United States Letters'fPatent No,l;98'0,'3'71; "The knife I 38 may. beoperatedto form the heel-.breast' receiving shoulders either 'upon the .platec34 and then "steps on' "a treadle @(TiOt shown) thereby causing the'margin ofthebefore or after the heel-"seat portion of'ithe sole bas'beenreduced r 1 FIIn order to perform the heel-seat fitting opera tion the operatorpositions the sole of the shoe heel-seat portion of the solefto be forced against 1 plate. Further increment of the treadle Just before the 1 ing lengthwise of the U asha'peddge;

which is effected by;pow r-op r ed[mechan sm' causes the sole to b o ced] h cons b e pressure against the plate 34 and also causes'the V bul er '52 to f e h central a t o the. heelsea portion oft e Q 'th ough the U shaped; s ou der-form n v s: '3 are moved with the bulger and are given a small 7 7 opening 35.;

leadin order to form the heel-breast receiving shoulders 28 prior to any substantial distortion th move wflp ardblo he s e au omeiii cally foo-reduce the heel seat portion of the same.

",Ilie Shoulder-forming knives I38 aremsuan retained in the shoulder-forming incisions' in;

order to serve as anvils agalnstwhichthe knife 0 p ra es, t ebypr nt he mm r m which is clearly described in said United States Letters Patent No. 1,980,371; 7 g 'I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim asnewand desire to secure by Letters Patentof 1; In a heel-seat fitting machine, a plate pm vided with an opening, a member for pressing.

theimargin of the heel-seat portionpf a sole against the plate, and a bul'ger for forcing the central part of said heelseatportion through the being pushed forwardly awayfrom theknifeat the end of the heel-seat fitting operation, all of op nine, a d bu e r compr s sole-engaging portionsspaced by a recesswhichfis bridged by the tensioned heel-seat portion of. the solje when the cen ral p rti'of; said heel-seat Port b en f rced thr ugh. the on ime.

" lnah el-cse Is-fitt n mac in a m ri vid d withian p ni a mem er f p e s n th margin of the heel-cseat portionof a'sole against 7 a V the pla and e a bul r f r. f in th ntral part of thejheeles at po t o of th Sole t rou h e the op nin said bulger bein onstructed and arran ed to n a nly th medi n partiof sa d heel-seat portion and parts of the heel-seat portion whichiia're positioned near the edge; of the opening thereby to ,causefian intermediate areapf said heelseat portion to be h l out-70f Contact with the b l er. s I V V ,3, In a heel-seat fitting machine, a plateharing a U-shapedfopening, amernber constructed and arranged to press the heel seat portioneofia sole against the plate, and'ialbiulger provided withia Ueshaped edge included inla'plane and, having a rib which projectscbeyondthe plane of said edge and has :a, sole-engaging face spaced. from said.

"edge by a reentitant portion; means constructed and arranged Ito,- force there'pressing member .against the margin of the"heel seatportion of' the sole supported by the plate, and 'meansfor 7 7 operating the bulger to ,cause the V rib to force the median part of the heel-seatportion of the Y solethrough the :U -shap.ed opening therebytene sioning the clamped sole about the 'bulger'andito cause the Urshaped :Vedge to force the tensioned 4. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a plate; pros- .vided with aUT-shaped opening, afmember to press thefmargin of the heel-seat portion of a sole against" the plate, and; a bulger; which cornprises a face terminating'in a IUW-shaped'edge' which is slightly smaller than the U I-shaped open- 7 --ing',:-sa'1d bulger also comprising arib projecting from the median portion'of-s'aidface andce teniif Ving ,5. In a heel-seat vfittingirnachine,:aTplate:l i

5a ;U-shaped opening, a clampi-for pressing'the margin of the heel-seat portion of 'a sole against thesplate; and fa bulger' provided a -U.-"

' sole against the edge ;of the UI-shaped ripening. V I

shaped edge and having a rib which extends lengthwise of the U and has a sole-engaging face which is spaced from the U-shaped edge by a reentrant portion, said rib being constructed and arranged to force the median part of the heelseat portion of the sole which is pressed against the plate by said clamp through said opening thereby to tension the same about the bulger before the U-shaped edge forces the sole against the edge of said opening, and means for operating said clamp and said bulger.

6. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a plate provided with an opening, a clamp for forcing the margin of the heel-seat portion of a sole against the plate, and a bulger for forcing the central part of the heel-seat portion through the opening, said bulger having a stepped work-engaging face.

7. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a plate provided with a U-shaped opening, a clamp for forcing the margin of the heel-seat portion of a sole against the plate, and a bulger having a working face terminating in a U-shaped edge and having an elongated rib the sole-engaging portion of which is spaced from said edge by a recess.

8. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a plate provided with a U-shaped opening, a clamp for forcing the margin of the heel-seat portion of a sole against the plate, and a bulger having a working face including a planar U-shaped edge which is smaller than the opening and a projecting median portion a sole-engaging face of which is spaced from said edge by a reentrant portion.

9. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a support provided with a U-shaped opening, a member for pressing-the margin of the heel-seat portion of a sole against the support, a bulger for forcing the central part of the heel-seat portion through the opening, and means for moving the bulger in a predetermined path toward and from the support, said bulger comprising a pair of U-shaped edges which are of different sizes and are spaced from each other in the general direction of said path.

10. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a support provided with a U-shaped opening, a member for pressing the margin of the heel-seat portion of a sole against the plate, and a bulger for forcing the central part of said heel-seat portion through the opening, said bulger comprising a pair of planar U-shaped edges of different sizes arranged in stepped relation.

11. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a plate provided with an opening, a member for pressing the margin of the heel-seat portion of a sole against one side of the plate, a bulger for forcing the central part of said heelseat portion through the opening and beyond the other side of the plate, a knife provided with a cutting edge movable along said other side of the plate to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole,

said bulger being constructed and arranged to engage only the median part of the heelseat portion and parts of the heel-seat portion which are positioned near the edge of the opening thereby to cause areas of the heel-seat portion which are included between said parts to be held out of contact with the bulger as the knife cuts the sole.

12. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a plate provided with an opening, a clamp for forcing the margin of the heel-seat portion of a sole against the plate, and a bulger for forcing the central part of the heel-seat portion through the opening, said bulger comprising a pair of U-shaped sole-engaging portions of different sizes arranged in similar relation and lying in spaced parallel planes rethe clamp and the bulger, and means for reducing the heel-seat portion of the sole.

14. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a plate for supporting the heel-seat portion of a sole, and means for clamping the margins of the heel-seat portion of the sole against the plate, said means comprising a spreader constructed and arranged to tension the forward part of the heel-seat portion of the sole widthwise.

15. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a, sole-supporting plate provided with an opening, clamping means constructed and arranged to force the margin of the heel-seat portion of a sole against said plate, said clamping means comprising a spreader for tensioning the heel-seat portion of the sole as it is pressed 7 against the plate, means for forming heel-breast receiving shoulders upon the sole, a bulger for forcing the central part of the heel-seat portion of the sole through the opening, and means for reducing the heel-seat portion of the sole.

16. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a plate provided with a face for supporting the heel-seat portion of a sole, a member mounted for movement in a path disposed at a substantial angle to said surface, a clamp mounted for movement with said member for forcing portions of the margin of the heel-seat portion of the sole against the plate, and a pair of presser feet carried by said member, said presser feet being constructed and arranged to yield relatively to said member when forced into engagement with the sole and to move away from each other to tension the forward part of the heel-seat portion of the sole widthwise.

17. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a plate for supporting the heel-seat portion of a sole, means mounted for movement relatively to the plate to clamp the margin of the heel-seat portion of the sole against the plate, and mechanism for operating said means, said means including presser members which are mounted for yielding movement relatively to said mechanism and are constructed and arranged to tension the forward part of the heel-seat portion of the sole widthwise as they are forced against the sole positioned upon the plate.

18, A heelseat fitting machine having, in combination, a plate for supporting the heel-seat portion of a sole, and means for clamping the margin of the heelseat portion of the sole against the plate, said means comprising a pair of pivotally mounted presser feet which are normally urged together and which separate as they are forced against the sole positioned upon the plate thereby to tension the forward part of the heel-seat portion of the sole widthwise.v

. EARL A. BESSOM. 

